Stalk-cutter.



No. 845,867. PATENTED MAR. 5, 1907.

E. A. FRANTZ.

STALK CUTTER. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 23, 1906.

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EZRA A. FRANTZ, OF WEATHERFORD, TEXAS.

STALK-CUTTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 5, 1907.

Application filed March 23, 1906. Serial No- 307,735.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, EZRA A. FRANTZ, a citizen of the United States, residing at Weatherford, in the county of Parker and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Stalk-Cutter, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to stalk-cutters; and it has for its object to provide a device of this class which may be easily and conveniently applied or attached for operation to an ordinary supporting-truck having an axle, carrying-wheels, and a draft-tongue, such as the truck or carrying-frame of a cul tivator, a riding-plow, the front truck of an ordinary farm-wa on, or a wheel-supported implement of any ind that will lend itself to use in connection with the device.

Further objects of the invention are to simplify and improve the construction and operation of the stalk-cutting device or appliance.

With these and other ends in view, which will readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the improved construction and novel arrangement and combination of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing has been illustrated a simple and preferred form of the invention, it being, however, understood that no limitation is necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited,

but that changes, alterations, and modifications within the scope of the invention may be resorted to when desired.

In the said drawing the single view is a perspective view of a stalk-cutter constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention.

The improved stalk cutter includes a frame composed of a pair of side members 1 1, which are preferably made to diverge rearwardly. Said frame members are connected at or near their front ends by a clip-plate 2, provided at its ends with downturned flanges 3, with which the side members 1 1 are pivotally connected, as by a transverse bolt 4. The clip-plate 2 is connected by clampingbolts 5 5 with a superposed clip plate or member 6, the plates 2 6 and the bolts 5 5 constituting means whereby the frame may be connected with the tongue 7 of a carrying-truck.

The device is equipped with a cutting drum or cylinder composed of heads 8 8, having radial arms 9, upon which the blades or cutters 10 are secured, as by means of screws or bolts 11, said blades or cutters serving to connect and assemble the heads 8 8. The latter are provided on their outer sides or faces with pivots or trunnions, as 12, for which bearings are formed in the side members 1 1 of the frame near the. rear ends of said side members.

A pair of clips C C are provided, each of said clips including a plate 14, having a head 15, said heads being apertured to afford bearings for a rock-shaft 16, having arms or cranks 17, which are connected with the frame members 1 1 by means of links 18. The shaft 16 carries an adjusting-lever 19, having a spring-actuated stop member 20, adapted to engage a rack-segment 21, which is formed upon one of the clip-plates 14.

In the drawing has been indicated in dotted lines a supporting truck including an axle 22, carrying-wheels 23, and a tongue 7. Upon this supporting-truck the stalk-cutting device is operatively supported by clamping the clips 0 C upon the axle 22 and clamping the clip, including the plates 2 and 6, upon the tongue 7. It will be seen that when the device is thus supported the frame carryin the cutting drum or cylinder may be raised or lowered by manipulating the rock-shaft 16 by means of the lever 19, the parts being retained at the desired adjustment by the stop member 20 engaging the rack-segment 21. The cutting drum or cylinder may thus be elevated above the ground and supported in an elevated position for transportation, or it may be lowered and held in engagement with the ground with varying pressure, according to the condition of the ground and the material that is to be operated upon.

It is preferred to connect with each of the side members 1 1 .a suitably-curved draghook 24;, which twists spirally about the member 1, said drag hooks being preferably secured upon the outer sides of the side members 1 1 and bent over and around said side members, so that their points for terminal ends will be expanded beyond the side members of the frame, so that they will operate to gather stalks and similar material and throw the same into the path of the cutting-drum, whereby the stalks and like material will be operated upon.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings hereto an- IIO nexed, the operation and advantages of this invention will be readily understood.

The construction is simple and inexpensive, and a stalk-cutting device constructed as herein described may be readily attached for operation to the frame of an implement, such as a riding-plow or a cultivator, in connection with which it may be efficiently em- 1 ployed. r

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. A tongue-engaging clip, a frame pivotally connected therewith, a stalkcutting drum ournaled in said frame, a pair of axleengaging clips, a rock-shaft j ournaled in said clips and having cranks, links connecting i said cranks with the pivoted frame, and means for manipulating the rock-shaft and for securing it at various adjustments.

2. A clip including a plate having downf turned portions, a frame including side members pivoted upon said portions, a pair of f clips including plates having transverselyapertured heads, a rock-shaft supported for oscillation in said heads and having cranks,

I frame. l

links connecting said cranks with the side members of the pivoted frame, and a stalkcutting drum supported for rotation in the 3. The combination with a wheeled carrying-truck having a draft-tongue, of a stalkcutting appliance including a frame pivot ally connected with the draft-tongue, a stalk-cutting drum supported for rotation in said frame, a pair of clips secured upon the axle of the truck, a rock-shaft supported for oscillation in said clips and having cranks, links connecting the cranks with the pivoted frame, a rack-segment upon one of the clips, and an adjusting lever secured upon the rock-shaft and having a stop member engaging the rack-segment.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

EZRA A. FRANTZ.

Witnesses W. L. TUCKER,

PORTER BRASELTON. 

